Steam-operated machines are used in a number of industrial sectors. When moisture mixes with steam, it can have a detrimental on the internal elements of such machines, thus affecting their overall performance and productivity. Such steam that contains a higher amount of moisture than what is desired is referred to as wet steam.
Wet steam is one of the prime concerns of engineers and they are constantly looking for ways to make the steam as moisture-free as possible. All these endeavors are directed towards improving process efficiencies and the quality of the end product. Moisture separators are a widely used component in such machines. They are installed in-line so that they can work in tandem with the other machines that are a part of the process.
How does steam adversely affect machines?
The product capacity and overall productivity of the plant take a beating when undesirable amounts of moisture are present in steam. Dry steam is preferred because it is free of moisture/water droplets and other entrained contaminants and particles.
There is another serious problem that needs to be taken into consideration. Steam travels at high speeds in a steam-operated or driven system. As a result, the water droplets and other contaminants that are carried along with the steam also travel at a significant speed. As these droplets and contaminants hit the internal elements, valves and fittings, their continued impact causes the elements to erode. As a result, the repair, maintenance, and replacement costs are very high.
Water droplets carry with them a number of contaminants that can affect the quality of the final product. Owing to all these problems, steam-driven or steam operated systems can experience premature failure. When valves and flow meters fail, they can cause serious process disruptions.
What should you expect from moisture separators?
Since steam can have a detrimental effect on steam-powered and steam-heated processes such as power turbines used in the geothermal sector, it is important to invest in high quality steam separators.
These products need to be rugged and long-lasting so that they can offer you a long service life. It is expected that these machines remove 99% of all entrainment measuring 10 microns and larger. The separators need to be designed so that they are compatible for use with gas, steam, air, and vapor pipelines.
However, since certain industries need better process efficiencies, it is possible to achieve more stringent specifications by custom designing the steam separators.
The internal elements of the moisture separators should be manufactured using high quality steel that will not corrode or rust over a long period of time. DonâEUR(TM)t forget to look for the ASME stamps, as these guarantee that the product has been manufactured in keeping with the highest engineering standards.
